J Korean Radiol Soc.  1999 Feb;40(2):205-209. 10.3348/jkrs.1999.40.2.205.

MRI and CT Findings of Intracranial Neurosyphilis

• Suh HK
• Shim YS
• Kim SB
• Kim UJ
• Lee SH
• Jung HK
• Lee ES
• Kang IW
• Cho HC

• KMID: 1832230
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.1999.40.2.205

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the CT and MRI findings of neurosyphilis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectivelyreviewed the CT and MR imaging findings in five patients with intracranial neurosyphilis confirmed by CSF, VDRL,TPHA, and clinical follow-up. MR imaging was performed in all five cases, and CT in two. RESULTS: The MRI and CTfindings of intracranial neurosyphilis included infarction (n=3), focal inflammation (n=1) and encephalopathy(n=1). There was a total of ten infaretions : three of the basal ganglia, two each of the frontal lobe, watershedzone, and cerebellum, and one of the occipital lobe. Intaretion was most common in MCA territory (n=9; 50%),followed by the watershed zone (16.6%), posterior cerebral artery territory (16.6%), and posterior inferiorcerebellar artery territory (11.1%), The size of the lesion varied from 1cm to larger than one lobe. One patientshowed diffuse high signal intensity in the left temporal lobe, but on follow-up MRI, this had resolved. CONCLUSION: The most common finding of neurosyphilis, as seen on MRI and CT, was infarction in middle cerebralarterial territory.

Keyword

Brain, infection; Brain, MR; Brain, CT; Syphilis

MeSH Terms

Arteries
Basal Ganglia
Cerebellum
Follow-Up Studies
Frontal Lobe
Humans
Infarction
Inflammation
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Neurosyphilis*
Occipital Lobe
Posterior Cerebral Artery
Syphilis
Temporal Lobe